Truck driving is not only an excellent career choice; it is also a pivotal plot element in a number of films. Whether you enjoy watching movies that feature truck drivers as main characters or those that utilize trucks to progress the plot, there is a film choice you’re sure to enjoy.
Maximum Overdrive
Stephen King is a well-known master of horror and suspense. His short story “Trucks” was the inspiration for the1986 film Maximum Overdrive, which he also directed. The film stars Emilio Estevez, Yeardley Smith, Pat Hingle, and Laura Harrington, and features a more humorous tone than King’s other works. Maximum Overdrive follows a number of characters at the Dixie Boy truck stop as they deal with a series of bizarre events that occur when the Earth passes through the tail of a rogue comet. As inanimate objects come to life—including the trucks—the characters must fend for their lives. The film’s truck stop set, which was built in Leland, NC, was so realistic that during the filming, a number of real drivers pulled in to refuel!
Duel
The 1971 film Duel, directed by Steven Spielberg, is based on a short story by Richard Matheson. This single-lead film stars Dennis Weaver as David Mann, a salesman who is on a cross-country road trip. While on the road, he encounters a 1955 Peterbilt 281 tanker truck, which seems to follow and antagonize him no matter where he goes. As the film proceeds, these incidents escalate until the truck begins to threaten his life. The film was Spielberg’s second major directing project and was originally a made-for-television film. However, due to its success, the film was extended and released as a feature-length film overseas.
At HDS Truck Driving Institute, we can bring your movie-inspired dreams to life at our CDL professional truck driver training school. You can learn more about becoming a truck driver in Tucson by calling us at (877) 205-2141 or by clicking through our informative website.
